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Remote sensing of ocean currentsA method of remotely measuring near-surface ocean currents with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is described. The apparatus consists of a single SAR transmitter and two receiving antennas. The phase difference between SAR image scenes obtained from the antennas forms an interferogram that is directly proportional to the surface current. The first field test of this technique against conventional measurements gives estimates of mean currents accurate to order 20 percent, that is, root-mean-square errors of 5 to 10 centimeters per second in mean flows of 27 to 56 centimeters per second. If the full potential of the method could be realized with spacecraft, then it might be possible to routinely monitor the surface currents of the world's oceans.
Document ID
19900032240
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Goldstein, R. M.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Zebker, H. A.
(JPL Pasadena, CA, United States)
Barnett, T. P.
(California, University La Jolla, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
December 8, 1989
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 246
ISSN: 0036-8075
Subject Category
Oceanography
Accession Number
90A19295
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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